Standardization of drying methods of different fruit types on storability of chilli seed

Abstract

The effect of seed drying methods on storability for chilli of different fruit types was studied in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) in four replications with five treatments. The chilli fruits were grouped like slender, moderate and fleshy as per the fleshiness index and are exposed to different drying methods such as sundrying, shade drying, freeze drying, oven drying of fruits and hand extracted seeds on the day of harvest followed by shade drying. Seeds were stored for 10 months and observations were recorded on germination percentage, vigour index in a regular interval of 2 months. Results revealed that fleshy fruit types showed highest germination percentage in shade drying after 2 months of storage (79.14%) & reduced gradually whereas lowest found in freeze drying method after 10 months after storage (12.26%) followed by medium and slender fruit types. After 2 months of storage, shade dried fleshy fruit types of chilli exhibited highest vigour index (943.553) followed by slender & medium fruit types whereas lowest vigour index found in freeze dried slender fruit types of chilli after 10 months of storage (50.99). Hence both shade drying and hand extracted seeds on the day of harvesting is recommended for drying of chilli seeds.